Washington County judge draws scrutiny over hiring process

NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Washington County Judge Joseph Wood is sworn in Tuesda by Circuit Judge Stacey Zimmerman during a ceremony in the Quorum Courtroom at the Washington County Courthouse in Fayetteville. Nearly 20 county officials were sworn in Tuesday. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from the ceremony.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Washington County Judge Joseph Wood is sworn in Tuesda by Circuit Judge Stacey Zimmerman during a ceremony in the Quorum Courtroom at the Washington County Courthouse in Fayetteville. Nearly 20 county officials were sworn in Tuesday. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from the ceremony.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Washington County Judge Joseph Wood has hired political allies after firing four department heads. The move could jeopardize federal grants, a former county official said.

"These jobs were never political appointments," said George Butler, who has been a county attorney and most recently was chief of staff for former County Judge Marilyn Edwards.

At a glance

Washington County policy lays out a process for advertising, interviewing and hiring employees. Not following that policy, which is approved under via an ordinance, could jeopardize federal grants coming to the county, a former employee says. To view a copy of the policy, visit www.co.washington.a….

Source: Washington County Employee Handbook, revised printing April 2014

Wood did not return a message left at his office Monday.

Newly hired County Attorney Brian Lester said he had no comment on whether Wood chose to put certain people into top positions for political reasons. He said Wood knew the newly hired employees through "our various professions."

As a newly elected official, Wood has the authority not to rehire employees according to county policy, Lester said. The positions in question were never "open," and therefore did not require an advertising and interview process, Lester said.

Wood checked with attorneys connected with the Association of Arkansas Counties to make sure no policies were violated, Lester said.

Butler said he didn't think Wood followed the county's policy, and that misstep could cost the county money.

The county's Employee Handbook, which the Quorum Court approved, provides a process of advertising, interviewing and hiring county employees, Butler said. The process is meant to make sure qualified applicants are hired, he said.

Not following the policy may mean the loss of federal grants that are awarded based on the county following an equal opportunity employment policy, he said. The county received about $730,000 in federal grants in 2016, Treasurer Bobby Hill said.

Wood fired four employees -- County Attorney Steve Zega, Grants Administrator and Public Utilities Coordinator Renee Biby, Veterans Service Officer Wayne Haines and Planning Director Juliet Richey -- about a week before he took his oath of office Jan. 1.

Karen Beeks, administrative assistant to the former county judge, and Ron Wood, building maintenance supervisor, resigned, Butler said. Lester said the two are the only non-elected officials -- outside of Butler -- to leave the county since about 17 department heads were interviewed to keep their jobs in November.

Employees who hired Jan. 1 are: Josh Medina, veterans service officer; Jim Kimbrough, planning director; and Dwight Gonzales, building maintenance supervisor.

Gonzales ran as a Republican for District 85 in the Arkansas House of Representatives, but was defeated in November by Rep. David Whitaker, a Democrat. Gonzalez posted a photo of Wood and called him his friend in a message posted to an online social media website Jan. 3.

Lester, a lawyer who ran for a district judge position in 2014, replaced Zega as county attorney. Lester also represented the local Republican Party during a lawsuit that sought to keep Wood's name off the ballot after candidate Micah S. Neal dropped from the county judge's race last year.

Zega has filed a grievance against Wood to get his job back.

A grievance procedure must deal with county-related issues, including issues like an elected official not complying with county personnel policies, according to the county Employee Handbook. The county has not released Zega's complaints listed in his grievance. Zega's hearing is set to go before the Quorum Court Personnel Committee at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 20.

Julie Harris, Wood's campaign manager and a longtime Republican politician, replaced Beeks. Wood paid Julie and Jon Harris about $1,900, according to his campaign contribution and expenditure report for Oct. 29 to Dec. 30.

The appointments are permanent, Lester said. New employees had start dates that varied, but an orientation for the employees was held Thursday, he said.

Lester had not released the salaries of the newly hired employees by 5 p.m. Monday. Lester said he would consider releasing the resumes of the new employees, but the county may not have kept them.

Wood has not filled the grants administrator and chief of staff to the county judge positions, according to the county website. Grants are being handled by the assistant for the grant administrator, Lester said.

NW News on 01/10/2017

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